3 answers
alexis
Student
Sioux Center, Iowa
2
Questions
Asked
765 views
How long do you have to go to school for tattoo artists ?
My name is Alexis I am a senior in high school. I like to do a lot of art and a lot of designs and I like to make up my own designs for tattoos and drawings.
Login to comment
3 answers
Dr H
Dr. H's Research
1333
Answers
Australia
Updated
Dr’s Answer
Alexis, you’re in Sioux Center, Iowa, right? And you’re a high school senior, so you’re probably around 17 or 18—perfect timing to start figuring this out!
So, here’s the deal: there’s no official school you have to go to for tattooing. You don’t need a college degree or a fancy certification (unless your state requires some safety courses). What you do need is an apprenticeship, which is like being a tattoo artist’s sidekick until you’re ready to do the real thing. That usually takes 1-3 years, depending on how much you practice and how fast you pick things up.
Most shops won’t take apprentices until you’re 18 because you need to legally tattoo someone, but you can start preparing right now:
Build your portfolio – Fill a sketchbook with tattoo-style designs. Draw in different styles—black & gray, traditional, fine-line, realism—so you can show off range.
Practice on fake skin – You can buy synthetic tattoo skin online or even practice shading on fruits (oranges and pigskin work great!).
Hang around tattoo shops – Not in a weird way, but get to know artists, ask about apprenticeships, and observe the industry. Networking helps!
Learn the business side – Tattooing isn’t just art; it’s a career. Learn about licensing, safety protocols, and how to market yourself.
Once you hit 18, that’s when you can really start looking for an apprenticeship. Be ready for some grunt work at first—cleaning, setting up stations, and watching before you actually tattoo. But if you stick with it, you’ll be turning your art into permanent masterpieces before you know it!
And in case you’re wondering—yes, tattoo artists make solid money, especially once they build a reputation. If you ever have doubts about going this route, remember: tattooing is an art form and a business, and if you’re passionate and persistent, you will make it work! And like really I hope i made this advice work! 😉
All the best Alexis, go rock those creativity ideas!
So, here’s the deal: there’s no official school you have to go to for tattooing. You don’t need a college degree or a fancy certification (unless your state requires some safety courses). What you do need is an apprenticeship, which is like being a tattoo artist’s sidekick until you’re ready to do the real thing. That usually takes 1-3 years, depending on how much you practice and how fast you pick things up.
Most shops won’t take apprentices until you’re 18 because you need to legally tattoo someone, but you can start preparing right now:
Build your portfolio – Fill a sketchbook with tattoo-style designs. Draw in different styles—black & gray, traditional, fine-line, realism—so you can show off range.
Practice on fake skin – You can buy synthetic tattoo skin online or even practice shading on fruits (oranges and pigskin work great!).
Hang around tattoo shops – Not in a weird way, but get to know artists, ask about apprenticeships, and observe the industry. Networking helps!
Learn the business side – Tattooing isn’t just art; it’s a career. Learn about licensing, safety protocols, and how to market yourself.
Once you hit 18, that’s when you can really start looking for an apprenticeship. Be ready for some grunt work at first—cleaning, setting up stations, and watching before you actually tattoo. But if you stick with it, you’ll be turning your art into permanent masterpieces before you know it!
And in case you’re wondering—yes, tattoo artists make solid money, especially once they build a reputation. If you ever have doubts about going this route, remember: tattooing is an art form and a business, and if you’re passionate and persistent, you will make it work! And like really I hope i made this advice work! 😉
All the best Alexis, go rock those creativity ideas!
Marie Garcia
1
Answer
San Antonio, Texas
Updated
Marie’s Answer
Depending on the kind of art you will be doing depends on your amount of college
jose pimienta
comics and storyboarding
10
Answers
Burbank, California
Updated
jose’s Answer
Art school is great, but not entirely necessary, specially if you're interested in being a tattoo artist. My suggestion is to approach a tattoo studio and ask if they offer apprenticeships, that way you can learn from the ones doing it and ask all the questions the professionals can answer. It's likely they'll want to see your portfolio, which means samples of your work, so I recommend you gather some of your best work and show it off so they have an idea of what you're interested in tattooing and can guide you better. If tattooing is the direction you want to go with your art, there's no better teachers than the ones doing it on a regular basis.
Oh! and practice as much as you can.
Best of success! Tattooing is an amazing art form.
Oh! and practice as much as you can.
Best of success! Tattooing is an amazing art form.